See, Feel, and Understand: HSE Researchers to Explore Mechanisms of Movement Perception in Autism
Scientists at the HSE Cognitive Health and Intelligence Centre have won a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) to investigate the mechanisms of visual motion perception in autism. The researchers will design an experimental paradigm to explore the relationship between visual attention and motor skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. This will provide insight into the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying social interaction difficulties in autism and help identify strategies for compensating for them.
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neurodevelopmental conditions resulting from atypical brain development, which can impact communication skills and social behaviour. Individuals with varying degrees of autistic traits may also experience motor difficulties, including impaired muscle tone, reduced movement accuracy and strength, coordination challenges, and underdeveloped balance. The scientists hypothesise that difficulties in social interaction experienced by individuals with ASD may be linked to impairments in visual perception and cognitive processing of movement.
A research team from the Cognitive Health and Intelligence Centre at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, led by Deputy Director of the Centre Anna Izmalkova, will test this hypothesis as part of a project funded by a new grant from the Russian Science Foundation. Andriy Myachykov, Leading Research Fellow at the Institute, will serve as the academic advisor of the study. Research assistants Elena Gavrilova and Ksenia Novoselova will participate in developing the experimental paradigm and collecting data.
As part of the project, the researchers will use eye-tracking technology to examine the specific patterns characteristic of individuals with varying degrees of autistic traits and how these patterns impact their ability to recognise others' movements and emotions. To obtain the most accurate and reliable results, the researchers will develop a comprehensive experimental paradigm that includes a range of stimuli across various contexts, such as daily activities, social communication, and non-verbal expression of emotions.
'An individual's perception of the world is closely linked not only to attention but also to motor skills. For example, someone who moves differently from others may have difficulty interpreting the movements of those around them. Motor coordination issues may be linked to impairments in the functioning of mirror neurons, which are responsible for imitating and understanding the actions of others,' Elena Gavrilova explains.
'We will analyse both movement and gaze direction. An eye tracker allows us to track precisely where a subject is looking—whether they focus on the other's facial features while completing a task with an emotional component or miss key social signals,' adds Ksenia Novoselova.
The authors plan to have everything necessary for the experiment prepared by the end of 2025. 'What makes this grant particularly important to us is that our research extends beyond medical diagnostics. We view autism as a broad spectrum of conditions that do not always fall within the category of clinical cases. This approach allows for consideration of not only impairments but also potential compensatory mechanisms that may be more developed in highly functioning individuals,' explains Novoselova.
The findings from this experiment could potentially be used to develop a technique for training individuals to recognise movements and emotions, helping compensate for social difficulties in autism.
See also:
Similar Comprehension, Different Reading: How Native Language Affects Reading in English as a Second Language
Researchers from the MECO international project, including experts from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain, have developed a tool for analysing data on English text reading by native speakers of more than 19 languages. In a large-scale experiment involving over 1,200 people, researchers recorded participants’ eye movements as they silently read the same English texts and then assessed their level of comprehension. The results showed that even when comprehension levels were the same, the reading process—such as gaze fixations, rereading, and word skipping—varied depending on the reader's native language and their English proficiency. The study has been published in Studies in Second Language Acquisition.
Mortgage and Demography: HSE Scientists Reveal How Mortgage Debt Shapes Family Priorities
Having a mortgage increases the likelihood that a Russian family will plan to have a child within the next three years by 39 percentage points. This is the conclusion of a study by Prof. Elena Vakulenko and doctoral student Rufina Evgrafova from the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences. The authors emphasise that this effect is most pronounced among women, people under 36, and those without children. The study findings have been published in Voprosy Ekonomiki.
Scientists Discover How Correlated Disorder Boosts Superconductivity
Superconductivity is a unique state of matter in which electric current flows without any energy loss. In materials with defects, it typically emerges at very low temperatures and develops in several stages. An international team of scientists, including physicists from HSE MIEM, has demonstrated that when defects within a material are arranged in a specific pattern rather than randomly, superconductivity can occur at a higher temperature and extend throughout the entire material. This discovery could help develop superconductors that operate without the need for extreme cooling. The study has been published in Physical Review B.
Scientists Develop New Method to Detect Motor Disorders Using 3D Objects
Researchers at HSE University have developed a new methodological approach to studying motor planning and execution. By using 3D-printed objects and an infrared tracking system, they demonstrated that the brain initiates the planning process even before movement begins. This approach may eventually aid in the assessment and treatment of patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s. The paper has been published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
Autism as a Global Challenge: HSE University Brings Together Experts from 15 Countries
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) pose challenges not only in medicine, but also in education, social policy, and technology. Scientists, doctors, educators, and government representatives have discussed how science and practice can help people with such disorders at the conference ‘Autism. Challenges and Solutions.’ For the first time, the event has been held at HSE University.
Civic Identity Helps Russians Maintain Mental Health During Sanctions
Researchers at HSE University have found that identifying with one’s country can support psychological coping during difficult times, particularly when individuals reframe the situation or draw on spiritual and cultural values. Reframing in particular can help alleviate symptoms of depression. The study has been published in Journal of Community Psychology.
Scientists Clarify How the Brain Memorises and Recalls Information
An international team, including scientists from HSE University, has demonstrated for the first time that the anterior and posterior portions of the human hippocampus have distinct roles in associative memory. Using stereo-EEG recordings, the researchers found that the rostral (anterior) portion of the human hippocampus is activated during encoding and object recognition, while the caudal (posterior) portion is involved in associative recall, restoring connections between the object and its context. These findings contribute to our understanding of the structure of human memory and may inform clinical practice. A paper with the study findings has been published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
Researchers Examine Student Care Culture in Small Russian Universities
Researchers from the HSE Institute of Education conducted a sociological study at four small, non-selective universities and revealed, based on 135 interviews, the dual nature of student care at such institutions: a combination of genuine support with continuous supervision, reminiscent of parental care. This study offers the first in-depth look at how formal and informal student care practices are intertwined in the post-Soviet educational context. The study has been published in the British Journal of Sociology of Education.
AI Can Predict Student Academic Performance Based on Social Media Subscriptions
A team of Russian researchers, including scientists from HSE University, used AI to analyse 4,500 students’ subscriptions to VK social media communities. The study found that algorithms can accurately identify both high-performing students and those struggling with their studies. The paper has been published in IEEE Access.
HSE Scientists: Social Cues in News Interfaces Build Online Trust
Researchers from the HSE Laboratory for Cognitive Psychology of Digital Interface Users have discovered how social cues in the design of news websites—such as reader comments, the number of reposts, or the author’s name—can help build user trust. An experiment with 137 volunteers showed that such interface elements make a website appear more trustworthy and persuasive to users, with the strongest cue being links to the media’s social networks. The study's findings have been published in Human-Computer Interaction.